Fort Henry, TN
[Bombardment and Capture
of Fort Henry, Tenn.
by Currier and Ives - Courtesy of Wikipedia ]
Date(s):
February 6, 1862
Location:
Battlefield Unavailable -
Lost Integrity
Campaign(s):
Federal Penetration up the
Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers [1862]
Battles in
Campaign:
Situation:
-
In early 1862, Fort Henry and Fort
Donelson were the main Confederate positions in defense of the Tennessee and
Cumberland rivers, respectively.
-
If these rivers were opened to Union
military traffic, two direct invasion paths would lead into Tennessee and
beyond.
-
Brig. Gen.
Grant proposed to move against Fort Henry and on
February 1, 1862, Halleck authorized
Grant to take the fort.
-
Grant
left Cairo on February 2 with an invasion force of 15–17,000 men in two
divisions and the Western Flotilla, commanded by
Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote.
-
Foote
had four ironclad gunboats and three wooden ("timberclad") gunboats .
Commanders:
-
Union:
Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Flag-Officer A.H. Foote
-
Confederate:
Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman
Principal Forces:
-
Union:
District of Cairo(15,000)
Western Flotilla (7 gunships)
-
Confederate:
Fort Henry Garrison
(3,000-3,400)
Description:
-
In February 1862, Fort Henry, a Confederate
earthen fort on the Tennessee River equipped with outdated guns, was already
partially flooded and the river threatened to flood the rest.
-
On February 4-5th, Brig.
Gen. U.S. Grant landed his divisions in two different locations: on
the east bank of the Tennessee River to prevent the garrison’s escape and on the
high ground on the Kentucky side to threaten the fort.
-
Flag-Officer Andrew H.
Foote’s seven gunboats began bombarding the fort.
-
Brig. Gen. Lloyd
Tilghman, commander of the fort’s garrison, realized that it was
only a matter of time before Fort Henry fell.
-
Tilghman
left artillery in the fort to hold off the Union fleet, escorted the rest of his
force out of the area, and sent them to Fort Donelson, 10 miles away.
-
Tilghman
returned to the fort and surrendered to the Foote’s
fleet.
-
The capture of Fort Henry opened the Tennessee
River to Union gunboats and shipping as far south as Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Slide Presentation:
None
[Battlefield Lost Integrity]
Classification2:
B
Casualties3:
-
Union:
40
-
Confederate:
79
Results:
Union
Victory
Battlefield Websites:
Recommended
Resources:
1 National Park
Service summary.
2
Classification:
-
A
- having a decisive influence on a
campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war
-
B -
having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign
-
C -
having observable influence on the
outcome of a campaign
-
D
-
having a limited influence on the
outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important
local objectives
3 Casualties are
someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.
Revised
08/02/2008 |
